Extremadura and the Ruta de la Plata

The most isolated, farthest from civilisation, there is something about Extremadura that holds a fascination for even the most world-weary traveller. Traditionally a no-man's-land, between Romans and Barbarians, between Christians and Moors, between wealthy Castile and lively Andalucía, Extremadura has none of life's privileges and many of its inconveniences.

Home of the God-fearing conquistadores, it consists of only two provinces, Badajoz and Cáceres, yet covers a huge area which comprises large open dehesas or oak-studded grassland, high woodlands and wide pastures. The Ruta de la Plata is the ancient Roman roadway which joined the South of Spain to the North. Traditionally this was the major access route to the region, linking Seville and Mérida to Astorga and León. It was the Gold Route for the Romans, the Stone Road of the Arabs and the Silver Road for the conquistadores, and it now forms the backbone of our walk.

We will stay in the great paradors of the region, taking moderate walks on the days when we move between hotels and longer and more strenuous walks on the days when we are comfortably settled in the towns. We hope that this will attract both those who want an outstanding walk as well as those who might like to take a day off to immerse themselves in the delights of an ancient and unchanged region.

ITINERARY

Day 1.

Arrive Madrid and transfer to Trujillo home of Francisco Pizarro. We spend the next two nights in the parador, a converted C16 convent.

Day 2.

Our first walk takes us into the Sierra de Montánchez, a classic area of Extremaduran countryside. We explore the typical Extremaduran dehesa scenery in a full morning's walk. We return to Trujillo in the afternoon and enter on foot to allow time to explore this historical town.

Day 3.

This morning we drive into the wooded hill country which surrounds Guadalupe. Our walk gives a good introduction to the uplands of eastern Extremadura as it leads us from the village of Cañamero to Guadalupe where we spend two nights in the excellent parador, once a C15 hospital for pilgrims. This remarkable town is dominated by the monastery which contains a miraculous image of the Virgin, adopted by many South American peoples and now a symbol of Hispanic unity, and a series of eight remarkable paintings by Zurbarán.

Day 4.

We drive to the north from where a fine full day's walk takes us into the Sierra del Hospital del Obispo. The mountains here reach peaks of 4500ft. In the afternoon we continue our walk returning to Guadalupe on foot. Overnight Guadalupe.

Day 5.

We drive north from Guadalupe towards the National Park of Monfragüe. Our walk traverses this magnificent wildlife reserve, one of the best known in Spain. In the early evening we continue by road to Plasencia where we spend the next two nights in the parador, once a C15 convent.

Day 6.

We drive to the valley of the Jerte before turning north to cross the Sierra de Candelario. This is sublime pastureland that runs along a ridge which slowly descends to the outskirts of Plasencia.

Day 7.

Today we follow the original trace of the Roman road as we follow the route north, past the ancient Roman remains of Cáparra. After lunch we continue to the pass of Béjar which leads into Castile. Our route follows the ancient road once again as we descend from the pass and cross a Roman bridge before walking up to the village of Calzada de Béjar. In the afternoon we drive on to the village of La Alberca, the first town in Spain to be classified, in its entirety, a national monument, where we spend the next two nights.

Day 8.

Our walk leads south over the pass of El Portillo to the monastery of Las Batuecas. This is one of the most remote and least known regions of Spain, almost inaccessible to the outsider until relatively recently. We return to La Alberca by road.

Day 9.

Our final walk walk leads to the Peña de Francia, a peak in the west of the range which is dominated by a C15 monastery, from where we begin a spectacular descent to the West before continuing our journey to the magnificent city of Ciudad Rodrigo, situated on the border with Portugal. We spend the night at the parador, a C14 castle.

Day 10.

We return to Madrid airport today, stopping for lunch along the way.

We stay in some fine ancient buildings - in converted monasteries and castles - now some of the best and most unusual hotels in the country.

Trujillo - 4 star parador. Guadalupe - 4 star parador. Plasencia - 4 star parador. La Alberca - 4 star hotel. Ciudad Rodrigo - 4 star parador.

Maximum number of walkers 16.

Average hours walked 5.5.

Average miles per day 11.